Deny No more
by ketura
Summary: Amidst the battle two wounded souls tried to seek refuge from each other. HE with a cold heart was suppossed to save HER a wounded headstrong, willfull woman that had never stirred anything from him until….nejiXten
1. Chapter 1

_**Deny no more**_

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**Amidst the battle two wounded _souls_ tried to seek refuge from each other. A prideful man with a cold heart and a wounded headstrong, will-full woman that had never stirred anything from him until….nejiXten**

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**This is actually a oneshot; but rather long story. I just love these two. Neji maybe cold but at least he is not as cold as our ever dearest sasuke. So it would seem easy to wield this story. Hope you guys enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: i do not own naruto**

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_You are the strength_

_That keeps me walking._

_You are the hope_

_That keeps me trusting._

_You are the light to my soul._

_You are my purpose_

_You are everything_

_And because I cannot **deny no more**_

_Will you somehow…_

_Just let me love you?_

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She ran for her dear life. She must live in order to give them the oh so precious scroll but with her condition, her struggle and fight for the good will only be worthless and futile if she kept on going. And so she had decided to retreat and run for it. Whether it may seem cowardly or not, she didn't care. She had to do this…no slash that idea….she **must** do this.

Jumping from branch to branch, Ten-ten panted so hard trying to catch her breath and fighting back oblivion that was so persistent of catching up on her. Not yet, not yet. She mustn't fall into that. She had to fight it not until she has found a place to hide and tend to her wounds.

She stopped suddenly when she felt that she had almost slipped. Idly catching herself she slumped against the tree and clutched her left side. _God it hurts! **Please give me strength…please**_…the words like a mantra to her head. She threw her head back as she looked at the stars above the night sky biting back a whimper.

One false move, one sound and she would get caught. She must be careful. She couldn't count on anyone other than herself. Besides, this was supposed to be a retrieval mission not some S class mission of some sorts. How was she to know that they had set her up?

She was caught deciding between going ahead and forget about herself or rest but she knew if she went with the former idea and disregard the latter, everything would be a failure not to mention, endanger the Hokage and with that, Konoha as well.

So with great reluctance, she decided to rest. Her charka was almost down dangerously and she had lost all her weapons and was left only with a kunai. With an arrogant smirk that tainted her rosy albeit pouty lips, she thought, _I may have lost all my weapons but it was not wasted anyway. At least they all died. Every last piece of shit were dead. _But it was not time to rejoice. She…after all was on the run. And so with last ounce of charka left, she pushed herself from the branch and started jumping again as she scanned the place to hide herself.

When she finally spotted a cave that was well hidden behind a waterfall she cupped a hand on the water and brought it hungrily to her lips quenching her thirst and welcoming the cool liquid that moistened her dry throat and parched lips.

When she had done that, she would have wanted to clean herself but she couldn't. She stood up and staggered towards the mouth of the cave and entered towards the darkness and slowly dropped to the ground as she felt every muscle weaken and her knees gave way.

Her charka finally extinguished to the very last of its flames. She finally welcomed the blackness that cloaked her from the inside. It would be a long time before she could regain her charka level. But for now, she wanted to sleep and never wake up if it was the only way to drive away the pain.

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In the other hand….

His heart was racing wildly as his pearly gray, pupil-less eyes scanned his surroundings. He was dispatched to retrieve her. She was supposed to be back last night but she didn't came. The Hokage had dreaded the worst.

He was no medic-nin and was not supposed to be assigned to this but he had insisted. Something inside him felt so unsettled when he heard the news. Although the Hokage looked calm but beneath that façade was a feeling of uncertainty and fear.

Fear that Ten-ten, one of the finest of their generation would die or the scroll might fall into the wrong hands. It must be delivered to them quickly for it was their only hope now to save and protect Konoha. His comrade must be found quickly because that scroll was needed too much! No time to waste or dilly dallying.

What was he supposed to do when the medic-nin that should retrieve her was yet to arrive in the afternoon? Hell! It was just ludicrous!

He tried to feel for her charka but couldn't. He'd been doing it a long time ago exactly when he stepped foot from the gates of Konoha but until now, he couldn't find her. Where was she? Unless? NO! That can't be! That certainly won't happen. Ten-ten is too strong. She couldn't just die. They need her to fight by their side.

And when he almost started to give up, he felt it. The slightest oh so smallest hint of her charka. It was so little that if he hadn't paid attention to his surroundings he would have missed it. He immediately activated his byakugaan and scanned around when he finally settled to the cave behind the waterfall. No wonder he couldn't find her, she hid herself well. Smiling with satisfaction and relief he quickly went to the area.

Inside the cave:

It was too dark but with his byakugaan, it was never a problem. He tried to look for her and saw a figure in black who was lying down on her back. he approached her and was not prepared for what he saw.

Her very long brown hair had come undone and was now framing a beautiful face that was ghostly white with a trace of dried blood at the side of her right lip. Her black ninja cloth that covered her arms were tattered revealing her right upper torso that was bounded with a white cloth while sheets of black ninja suite still clung to her left side.

Waking from his stupor, he took his Anbu mask off his face and bent down on his knees as he scanned for any injured bone in her body. Other than gashes on her arms no bones were fractured except for the wound on her left side. He started to touch it but heard her whimper. She was in deep pain. He watched as her long eyelashes fluttered open before he was looking back at chocolate brown eyes. She blinked once, twice before she focused her eyes on him. Her eyebrows furrowed before she spoke his name in rasped voice that was in pain "Neji?" and then she fell back asleep.

He remembered what Shizune-sama had told him before he left early that morning after she had shown him some first aid tricks and after the Hokage has handed him with the medicine to treat her wounds. If Ten-ten was hurt yet not so badly but somehow could not support herself or was vastly weakened, then he was to stay and allow her to rest until she could stand up for if he were to bring her with him at her current state would only slow them down and what's worse, easy prey. And so he was trying to decide, for the love of God, _if_ what he's going to do next was right or wrong.

Should he undress her or not?! The wound on her left side was serious and had dried but he knew that it had not been treated because the white cloth around her torso was still unwrapped. If he was to prevent secondary infection, then he had to take it off.

Deciding that there was no other way, he ruthlessly cut the cloth that had used to bind her and systematically got rid of it. He paused for a while looking at her porcelain skin. He couldn't help himself he was just a man anyway. His hand shook as he shrugged off the backpack and unzipped it while he proceeded to start the task of cleaning her wounds and treating her.

How was he supposed to know that while he was not looking and I mean really looking at her that she had grown into a woman?! Those two soft swell of ivory mounds were a living proof. It was not as if she was the first woman he had ever seen naked for Kami's sake after all he was already twenty-five years old but _she_ was his ex-teammate, his comrade and he had grown up with her ever since he could remember and seeing her this way was not his idea. Yeah, he could just see her pushing a stake through his heart if she were awake right now! That wouldn't be good and so he grabbed a black cloak and covered her with it while he stood up and grabbed the cup beside him and walked towards the waterfalls.

After filling it, he methodically cleaned her wounds. It wasn't so hard after all. With sheen determination when he started to only think of her wounds and not let his eyes stray elsewhere, he had relaxed.

It was already dark and he had gathered earlier some woods and made a small cheery and warm bonfire. He watched at the sleeping figure from across him who was now swathed with clean bandages, her face clean and comfortable wrapped in his cloak and sleeping bag. Her hair had been undone even before he came and he noticed that although he rarely saw her in that way, he could not help but admire the way she looked. She looked much better if her hair was like that. So feminine and vulnerable. He had constantly checked on her trying to find out if she had a fever, Luckily, there was none. He had caught them two fishes and had prepared them ready to be eaten already but only ate one and kept hers in case she wakes up feeling hungry.

It was way past midnight when the fire was out and when they were fast asleep that he heard a noise. Being a light sleeper, his senses became akin to his surroundings tensing slightly. There it was again. It was as if something was being softly clanked with something else. He tried to put a name into it but somehow could just not figure out. He stood up and went near Ten-ten when he finally knew what it was. Her teeth were making the damn noise! Hell he almost felt that something was wrong for a minute.

Sighing heavily started to go back when he stole a glance against her and saw that somehow she had curled herself into a tight ball. No wonder her teeth were making that ruckus. She was cold. He shook his head at her pitiful sight. Walking towards her he decided to warm her the only practical way he knew how.

He pulled the cloak from her and lay on his side as he pulled her towards him enveloping her in his warmth. Instinctively, she scooted towards him and when she subconsciously felt that the warmth was not enough, she scooted even further and buried her face deep at the crook of his neck while she had plastered herself literally against him. When she had finally found a comfortable position, she stopped from wiggling and God knows what else.

All the time, Neji had to clench his jaw and grit his teeth at her wiggling and moving all the time. She was getting in his nerves. _Maybe I should start a fire and drop her in it?_ He thought angrily. She was not the only one who needed some sleep. _He _too needed some!

He looked at her sleeping form and contemplated mentally on doing that when he noticed that she looked pale and yet this time, she was sleeping serenely. Somehow, he could just never understand her. Shoving the thought aside, he closed his eyes and breathed in her scent. A soft smile crossed his lips and finally succumb to the warm arms of sleep.

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She languidly stretched her body and sighed softly as she felt the warm cocoon shift a bit from her. _Now what! This early in the morning and her Mom just had to do that, again! Oh how she hate it when she does that._ _Can't she see that I'm not yet done sleeping?_

Not wanting to let it get away from her she threw her arm around it and was followed by one shapely thigh anchoring her pillow, comforter and anything that she could reach towards her. _Hah! Let's see how you take that away from me now!_ She cried victoriously in her mind. Pleased that her mother had changed her mind and stopped from bothering her, Ten-ten sighed softly and contentedly as she buried deeper into the warmth of her bed. She brushed her nose softly against that warm skin and breathed at it heavenly. _Mmm…this smells good. So warm and nice. If I wasn't dreaming, I'm sure it almost smelled just like Neji. Neji…Neji?! Whaaat Neji?!_ And as if a bucket of water had been whirled and dropped at her unceremoniously, her eyes snapped open only to see those pearly gray, pupil-less eyes stare at her.

"What the hell are you doing?!" came her shout. As she scrambled as far as herself could go away from the person lying beside her.

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He had been awake already and was trying to disentangle himself from her only to be followed by her. Now what? He asked himself. She was clinging to him like vine even in her sleep. She softly grumbled to herself about waking early and comforter and stuff but he was not about to let that come between him and her. He _must_ get away from her now before she wakes up.

But his efforts were pointless when she threw her arm around him anchoring him to her. And what's worse, she just has to stretch that shapely porcelain thigh against him. This was definitely not good. He tried to free himself once more only to groan heavily as she scooted even more closely to him flattening herself to him and raising her knee only to grace lightly against that one part of him that he could somehow not control. The part of him that somehow had a mind of its own.

His right arm was around her with his hand resting against her waist and with his left hand just above her thigh. This feeling of being so close to her was so different and foreign to him. He had never seen her for anything else other than a comrade but now, he felt something towards her.

Trying to somehow put a name into it he finally came across that one word he was so sure of. Lust, right that was it. Cynically, he thought about her womanly features and knew that he may be cold as what other mostly says but he knew that he was not the kind who shies away from women. Well why refuse if they offered, right?

But he was never the kind of person to indulge into something trivial such as love, care and devotion. To do that was beneath him. Too niggling and such a waste of time. Of course he didn't feel anything for Ten-ten, what with their situation, it was inevitable. After all, he would not deny that she was indeed lovely and beautiful and that he was physically somehow getting attracted to her _today_, that is.

But that only means that he had acknowledged her womanly features and nothing else. Suffice to say, it was something that he had been aware of even then but only noticed, and truly noticed her for the first time.

Being such a gentle man, he gave up and decided to let her have her way and wait to whatever fate had been stored for him that day. He was sure that if Shikamaru was to be in this position, he would have immediately said _'so troublesome'_ and to that he would agree.

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i am thinking of making a 2nd chapter. but well, what the heck you just have to decide it though. if you want me to, i could post another chapter with a lemon probably between them or whatever. hehe 


	2. Chapter 2

**okay so here i am adding another chapter. i would like you guys to be informed that i have somehow changed the rating from T to M because this chapter involves severe lemon. although not the disgusting animalistic one. it is more of the loving type when a person is confused of what to do and what not to do. **

**so remember that you have been forewarned. please if you do not wish to read, refrain from doing so. other than that, you may proceed**

**Disclaimer: i don't own naruto**

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"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" she cried out as she clutched at the blanket around body while looking at Neji who was having a bored look on his face.

Neji looked at her for a moment before standing and turning his back and began stretching as if he was dismissing her.

Ten-ten's eyes narrowed dangerously when she saw him doing that. _What am I a fly he can swat and care nonetheless?!_ She thought.

"Hey I'm talking to you!" she shouted. She heard him sigh and turned around to look at her with a smirk on his face.

"Do not begin to think about me bedding you because I wasn't doing any of those", he said flatly to which he heard her sharply intake of breath. He saw her eyes narrowing dangerously and knew that he had somehow said something that didn't quite please the weapon mistress but was just too thick headed to even give it a thought.

_Should I be insulted or what?_ Ten-ten was reduced to talking to herself when she wasn't even sure how she should feel at that moment. As flabbergasted as she was, she decided to keep her mouth shut and wait for what he was going to say next.

Silence was only her answer and so he decided to tell her the truth. "Look, last night you were out cold and since I have nothing else with me other than that sleeping bag you've been sleeping on and that blanket, how was I supposed to warm you other than doing it the practical way?" he pointed out.

"Oh", she said softly the calculating look out from her face. She was mortified for herself thinking that he had some feelings for her how embarrassing was **that**?! Feeling herself reddening, she decided to let the matter drop.

"Fine. Thank you for coming. Shouldn't we be heading to Konoha?" she asked changing the subject to which he gladly accepted. He had been tensed a while ago due to their uncomfortable situation but luckily she had decided to drop the subject.

"We could have but you were hurt so badly. You were in no condition to travel. Besides, we're in the middle of a war, unless you want to die…" he trailed off knowing that she had caught his drift.

Ten-ten sighed heavily. So much for wanting to go home. No what?! She brushed at her hair impatiently that slid away from her center part and draped itself over her forehead and left eye as she mused at the thought of forcing herself to travel.

It wasn't such a bad idea anyway although the slight sting at her side was a telltale sign of her being hurt but she knew she shouldn't be deterred by just a simple wound. Okay so that was an understatement since her wound does sting whenever she moved but hey she had been through worse. Besides she was uncomfortable whenever she didn't have her weapons with her.

Again her hair had softly fallen partly at the side of her left face so she unconsciously drew it away from her face impatiently. That was another reason why she was beginning to get grumpier and grumpier. She was in such a mess.

Her hair was loose and she had nothing to tie it. She looked at her right side and saw her discarded and tattered clothes longing to put them on but knew that they were useless. She looked down at what she was wearing and felt naked. The bind to her breast had long been discarded to which was now caked with dry blood.

At least she still had her underwear for the love of God! Only a black cloak had covered her. She rose slowly to see how far it had covered her and was horrified to find out that it barely reached her knee! No strike that out! It barely covered the lower half of her thigh!

Neji heard her quick indrawn of breath and turned to look at her again for the umpteenth time for that day. She looked so alluring with her hair unbound that had somehow always found a way to frame her beautiful face. Even when she tried to shrug it away, it would again go back to the side of her face adding more to her sensuality.

Her innocence could drive him insane! Unlike the geishas or courtesans that he knew and his other fair share of women who were from the upper class, Ten-ten need not to be coy because she was a natural beauty. That is, if she didn't try to desperately hide it beneath severely strained buns at the sides of her head or if she didn't try to hide her delectable body beneath gaudy and plain looking baggy ninja clothes. Hell when they were young he had always thought of her to be a tomboy!

He cleared his throat before he talked knowing that it would somehow sound strained to him. "What is it this time?" he asked impatiently.

Ten-ten had stood up raising her arms at her sides and trying to turn here and there while looking at something on the floor or something at her feet. "The cloak…" she trained off sounding so forlorn.

"Look I'm sorry it isn't the best that I could come up but I was in a hurry and I didn't know that you would be needing it to dress you", he apologized quickly trying to end another one of those female arbitrary whines about fashion and God knows what else that they are fond of arguing about that was beyond anything that he could reason with.

"No it's not that! Look! I mean look at my legs! it barely even covers me!" she cried out her chocolate brown eyes looking so incredulously horrified.

He allowed his eyes to travel the short length of her towards her legs and back to her very shapely thigh that was covered only by half of the black cloak which was a contrast to the porcelain smoothness of her skin. He vaguely remembered how it felt beneath his hands a while ago and somehow his thoughts were starting to wonder to an entirely different plane.

"It's so…so brazen!" she cried out unhappily.

Belatedly realizing that he shouldn't have stared at something he should be used to seeing for so many times, Neji reluctantly withdrew his gaze from the most magnificent thighs he had ever laid eyes on. "Brazen?" he repeated wanting to laugh.

She nodded and impatiently walked towards his side and sat down drawing her long shapely legs beneath her. She gave him a sideway glance and in behalf of her annoyance to herself gave him a rueful smile. "I gather it's unsightly", she said trying to make light about it.

Neji looked at her as if she had grown two heads. "Unsightly?" he asked she had probably misinterpreted the way he had been looking her all the time. "Is that the reason why you hide it under ugly looking pants?" he asked.

She didn't answer but only looked at him sheepishly. Somehow unnerved at the way he was staring at her intensely, she cleared her throat and tried to change the subject again. "So, what's for breakfast?" she asked.

Neji immediately looked away shaking his head from where his mind was beginning to wander. "I caught a fish last night for you but I think it's no good to eat it anymore. I'll just catch another one for us", he said as he started to stand up.

She too stood up and went with him slowly walking as she tried to feel for her left side. It hurts when she moved but other than that, she would live. "I think I'll go with you. I could use a bath", she said wobbling towards him.

He looked at her incredulously. Was she trying to tempt him?! He looked at her again but saw no signs of her trying to trap him into something. She was rather impatiently trying to wobble her way towards him while trying to rub her right forearm muttering about dirt and grime. Oh hell, this is going to be a rather long day.

"Fine, but don't wander too far", he said. When she finally reached him, he slid his arm behind her and around her waist while he took her arm to anchor it above his shoulders so that she could lean her wait on him. She said her thanks while they started to go down.

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He watched her drying her long glossy hair not too far from the fire that he had made. They had just finished eating their meal and were sitting down contentedly when he started to ask her about her mission.

"What happened during you mission?" he asked.

Ten-ten stopped from her raking her fingers through her hair. "Sound-nins attacked me. It was a set up", she said her voice getting colder.

"How many were there?" he asked calmly but deep inside him something started to boil.

"Around twenty, I guess. But when I bit them, I was followed by another batch", she closed her eyes trying to remember what happened and relieved everything when it started to come back like a huge wave of despair.

Sensing that somehow she was keeping something from him, he waited. Wanting for her to talk, silently commanding her to continue. When she opened her eyes, her chocolate brown eyes were so sad and swimming with unshed tears.

"She was with them. I tried to stop her but she looked straight though me", she said softly.

Neji's eyes widened with shock. "Are you sure?" he asked. "Maybe you were just imagining it", he provided hoping it was a lie.

"I was not!" her eyes flashed dangerously. Her anger towards him started to boil higher and higher from the cauldron.

"Why do you always act as if I'm insane?! I saw her okay?! Godamn you!" she lashed out at him angrily.

"You said that always but don't you get it?! Sakura's dead! He killed her! Why can't you just get it over with?!" he countered.

"Shut up!" she screamed. "I hate you! You're sick do you know that?! You act as if nothing's wrong when in fact everyone is struggling with everything around us!" she cried out.

"You are starting to get on my nerves. Why do you always cry wolf?!" he asked vehemently.

"I am not crying wolf! Why can't you see it? Why don't you get it?! It was my fault why she got killed okay?! She got caught in the middle of a crossfire and I did nothing! Nothing do you hear me?" she was beginning to be hysterical.

But Neji never knew the truth, until now. He now understood why Ten-ten was beginning to act unlike herself. She would kill herself by working as if her life revolved around it. He now understood why.

Through that, she was trying to punish herself. But he couldn't take it seeing her like that. And he felt totally guilty for the way he'd been brushing her aside and giving her the cold shoulder before.

"I'm sorry", he said under his breath. Ten-ten didn't said anything. She just stared at the fire until it died to slow embers.

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**Warning:** **Lemon after this. If you don't like lemons please do refrain from reading this. You've been warned.**

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That night when they were about to turning for the night, Ten-ten tried to sleep but was having a problem. She was starting to feel cold what with only a thin cloak and a thin blanket protecting her, it was no use. She started to curl herself into a small ball but found out that it was no use. She needed to feel warm. But she didn't want to call on Neji, suffice to say, her pride was too stubborn to ask for his help. She was in raging war within herself when finally she gave in.

"Hey Neji," she called out at the man who was leaning on the wall with his back. his eyes were closed and he looked as if he was asleep. But she knew better. Still, he was silent.

"Neji!" she called out louder this time.

"What?" he asked impatiently.

"I'm cold", she said hoping he got the idea. But still he didn't move nor say anything. Sighing heavily and feeling embarrassed, she turned to her other side and decided to never speak to him ever gain! He was so rude, obnoxious and arrogant to boot! People like him should be wiped out from earth!

She was muttering angrily at herself when she felt a warm arm wrap around her. She was pulled harshly towards something hard. When she turned around to look she saw that it was Neji. She sighed softly her anger swiftly evaporating from her. She never even heard him coming.

She placed her hands on his hard chest and unwittingly molding her pliant body to the masculine contours. He had long discarded his vest so that they could be comfortable.

He felt her body fitted towards him perfectly. He felt comfortable with that. He rarely held women in his arms just like this. Usually, when he had his fill, he would walk away leaving them alone. He was never the kind of person to hold them.

But the simple act of holding Ten-ten felt good. Like she had been made for him and only him. He felt her rub her cheek against his chest and the feel of her soft skin felt so good. She was like a kitten who felt contented when being patted and stroked.

"Neji? What is the status of Konoha?" she asked a while later.

He cleared his throat before he started to talk. "It's horrible. Its about to begin", he said.

"Do you…do you know if my parents are alive?" she asked silently.

"I'm sorry, I really don't know. I wish I do but I've been sent here and there by the Hokage. I too am worried about the people around me. I'm really sorry", he said apologetically.

Ten-ten buried her head into the crook of his neck. "I'm scared", she said finally.

It was a long time before he answered. "Don't be. I'm here. I'll…I'll protect you", he said he didn't know where it came from but deep down inside, he didn't want to lie to himself anymore. He would protect, always. She maybe strong but he knew that somehow, people do have a weakness. Whatever hers was, he didn't care as long as he would always stand beside her and protect her.

Ten-ten looked up into his beautiful eyes with all the innocence, trust and hope in her eyes and he was lost in it drowning into the deep pools of her russet eyes. As if an invisible force was drawing him towards her, he gave in to the urge and lowered his eyes towards her soft pouty lips and desire flamed anew.

Unable to resist, he kissed her and tasted her long and passionately. And when she begin to return his kiss clumsily and uncertainly, his mouth slanted fiercely over hers, and this time, her lips yielded to his rough, tender kiss.

Lost in the desire, confusion and yearning, Ten-ten felt his hands splay across her lower spine, forcing her closer to him, but instead of resisting, she slid her hands up over his shoulders. His body shook with raw pleasure and kissed her languidly.

His other hand that was resting above her thigh slowly crept up lingering on the hilt of her rounded hips, to her waist and when the need to touch her skin became forbearing, he lifted his mouth from hers and took off the cloak away from her.

And before she realized what had happened, he already had undressed her. Feeling so mortified she tried to cover her blush tainted body from him with her arms but he quickly caught them and stopped her from doing it.

Neji caught his breath at the unexpected beauty of her body. She was thin but her breasts were surprisingly full, her waist tiny, and her legs long and shapely. He could just imagine those pair of beautiful limbs wrapped around him enticingly.

The thought alone fueled his desire and hardened his phallus. Her words broke him from his gaze "Neji! I…I think—", he cut her by kissing her softly on her kissed swollen lips smirking against it.

"Don't think...just feel", and with that he started to touch her satin soft skin. He had fantasized this so many times but he never knew that reality could be so much better than fantasy.

He quickly undressed never taking his eyes off her. The tenderness in her eyes was there, only for him to see. The trust was too much for him to bear but he was proud of her. His weapon mistress; his…and his alone.

A huge constricting knot of tenderness and desire tightened Neji's throat and he bent his head, taking her lips in a fierce, stirring kiss, shaping and fitting the contours of her soft mouth to his.

Forcing himself to go slower, Neji consciously lightened the pressure of his mouth, smoothing his lips teasing back and forth over hers, his hand curving around her nape, stroking it sensually. His tongue traced the trembling line between lips, coaxing them to part, and when they did, it slid between them, tangling with hers while his hand on her nape tightened possessively.

Driven by pure instinct and the pleasure coursing through her veins, Ten-ten turned into his arms, and the moment she did, his strong arms went around her, molding her hips to the hardened contour of his.

When she stiffened in alarm at the bold pressure of his hardened manhood and tried to draw back, his hand shifted comfortingly up and down her spine, holding her gently but firmly against him.

She quieted in his arms, but when his hand slid from her back to her breast, she gave a leap of alarm, recoiling from his touch, and this time Neji reluctantly pulled his mouth from hers. Raising his head, he gazed into her frightened chocolate brown eyes, his thumb gently tracing the elegant curve of her jaw. "Don't be afraid of me, little one."

Ten-ten hesitated, her magnificent eyes searching deeply into his, and Neji had the uncanny feeling she was looking into the depths of his black soul. What she saw however made her say softly, "You would never do anything to harm me, I know that. Although you seem hard on the outside and uncaring, on the inside you are beautiful."

Her words struck some strange chord of intense feeling deep within Neji. With a silent groan he bent his head, his mouth opening on hers with a sudden, urgent hunger. This time she answered his passion with her won, her lips parting beneath his without urging, welcoming his tongue into her mouth and then giving him hers, her small hands clasping him to her.

Without taking his mouth from hers, Neji stroked his hand down her arm to her rib cage, then upward, cupping her breasts, circling her nipples with his thumb, feeling them rise up proudly against his palm.

He kissed her temple, her eyes, and her cheek then he nuzzled her neck, chuckling with throaty delight and desire as he touched his tongue to her sensitive ear and felt her press her body closer to his. His tongue plunged into it and she moaned with sweet desire, her nails biting into his arms.

Sliding his lips along the curve of her neck, Neji moved lower, then he put his mouth where his hands had been, kissing her breasts, slowly drawing her hardened nipple into his mouth, flicking his tongue against it, teasing her with his mouth and hands.

Her hands tangled into his long black hair that had came undone a while ago, holding him closer to her breast, and when he sucked on her nipple, she gasped with pleasure, her whole body twisting against his. He trailed kisses along her flat stomach, his hands gliding incessantly up and down her sides and beasts and hips, and then he finally lifted his head.

Stunned with pleasure and wonder, Ten-ten gazed into his desire-burning eyes, sensing instinctively the care he was taking with her, unaware of the emotional turmoil he was in. all she knew was that she was bursting with love, and that she wanted—needed—to make him feel all the wondrous pleasure he was making her feel.

And when Neji slowly lowered his sensual lips to hers while his ebony locks closed around them like black curtains and whispered, "Kiss me, little one" it was all the invitation Ten-ten needed.

Driven by pure instinct and the belief that what felt wonderful to her would surely feel wonderful to him also, Ten-ten unknowingly turned the full force of his seductive skill on _him_.

She kissed him with uninhibited ardor, curving her hand around his nape, kissing him exactly as he had kissed her, her tongue sliding along the crease between his lips, urging them to part and then driving inside in a kiss that made him gasp against her mouth.

The pressure of her mouth urged him back against the ground as Ten-ten leaned up on an elbow and then followed him down, brushing her sweet, arousing kisses across his temple, his cheek, to the side of his jaw and down to his chest.

Beneath her palm, she felt the wild increase in the rapid pounding of his heart. When she finally reached the nipple, she heard the rasp of his sharply indrawn breath and felt his muscles leap reflexively.

His skin was like rough satin and Ten-ten reveled in the taste and texture of it, loving the way his hands plunged into her hair as she continued to tease and kiss him. But when she moved downward, sliding her lips along the hollow planes of his stomach, Neji made a sound that was part laugh and part groan and abruptly hauled her upward, rolling her onto her back, leaning over her.

With passion raging through every pore of his body, he had no specific idea how the seducer became the seduced. All that he knew was that the enchanting weapon mistress has suddenly become a gloriously exciting woman who was deliberately driving him half mad with desire.

Hungrily, he opened her mouth with his own while his hand glided down her hips and thighs then shifted, covering the curly triangle between her legs. She stiffened at his intimate touch and clamped her legs together, wildly shaking a head.

With an effort that nearly shattered his strength, he made his hand still and slowly lifted his head, gazing down at her. "Don't be scared." He said in a tender whisper as his hand began to move persistently his fingers probing her warmth seeking entrance.

"Please trust me". After a moment's hesitation, the rigidity went out of her limbs and her thighs parted sweetly.

From the moment he began, he had expected, known that she would struggle and fight him. But instead, she was giving herself to him without hesitation, holding nothing back, fighting down her own fears and trusting him completely.

He stared down at her feeling humbled by her sweet, selfless giving, and she closed her eyes, burying her heated face against his chest while his fingers caressed her probing gently to prepare her for him while her hands clasped the muscles of his upper arms.

With the combination of raging desire and genuine dread at the knowledge that he was going to hurt her, Neji shifted on top of her. Bracing his weight on his forearms, he cradled her face between his hands, his throbbing shaft poised at the entrance of her body.

"Ten-ten", he said in an aching voice that sounded strangely shattered to his own ears.

Her long russet eyelashes fluttered open and he could tell she already knew. Her breath was coming in frightened, shallow little pants, but instead of closing her eyes, she kept them riveted to his as if looking for reassurance and comfort from the very man who was about to hurt her.

Moving his hips slowly, he penetrated her a fraction with each stroke, pushing slightly deeper into her tight warmth until he found the barrier that blocked further entrance into her tight warmth, but no amount of gently, normal pressure would break it.

Lifting her hips to receive him, he withdrew almost all the way and covered her trembling lips with his own. "I'm sorry", he whispered hoarsely against her mouth. Holding her imprisoned, he drove swiftly into her.

Her body arched and her soft cry of pain slashed across his heart, but she never once tried to push him away. Instead she let him hold her in his arms, whispering soothing endearments to her.

Ten-ten opened her tear brightened eyes amazed and relieved as the brief pain began to subside. Neji's handsome face was darkened with passion and harsh with regret, and she put her arms around him. "It wasn't that bad" she whispered.

The fact that she was trying to console him was more than he could have handled. The cynicism and cold reserve that had surrounded him like and impassable wall for most of his twenty-six years began to dissolve completely washed away in a tidal wave of selfless passion that raged through every pore of his body.

With painstaking slowness, he began to move within her, plunging gently, then retreating to plunge again while he watched her lovely flushed face, as she began to instinctively move with him.

Ten-ten strained towards him in trembling need, pressing herself willingly to the demanding, rhythmic thrusts of his hard body, while within her an uncontrollable inner excitement began to build, jarring her body with quick, piercing stabs of desire.

"Don't fight it, little one" he whispered thickly, his shoulders and arms taut with the strain of holding back, his chest heaving with the force of each labored breath as he tried to give her time. Steadily, he began to increase the tempo of his driving rhythmic strokes. "Let it happen, Ten-ten".

She didn't understand what was happening to her. Only that she wanted something and it seems as though only Neji could give it to her. "Please", she said softly now knowing what it was she was actually looking for.

Elation exploded in Ten-ten, spilling through her veins while spasm racked her body, making her cry out his name. The moment she did, Neji tightened his arms around her and drove fiercely into her his body erupted like a volcano pouring his seed into her welcoming warmth with a force that made his entire body jerk again and again. Convulsions were still racking him as he gently lifted his weight from her and moved onto his side, taking her with him, his body still joined with hers.

* * *

Feeling sated, Neji looked down at the women in his arms. Even without his byakuugan, he already knew what his future would be. With sheer determination, he will fight for his belief and right. He will follow what his father had told him through his letter when he had fought with Naruto during their genins days to become a chunin.

He remembered every word with all his heart. His father had wanted him to choose his destiny. That for once, he would break his destiny and do something for himself, even just for once. And with shining clarity, he already knew what he wanted.

A life with this girl was enough for him to last a lifetime. And somehow deep inside, he knew that his uncle, Hiashi would understand for he himself had been told by his twin brother the very same words when he chose to his life instead of Hiashi to their enemy. It was those very same words that he had told his son, Neji.

* * *

So finally that is the last of it. you have no idea how long it took me to write this chapter. i have to read a few books to find out if what i'm writing is realistic or not. but oh well, you can just let your imagination run wild and do the rest for me. so pls do R&R. i would love it 


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note**:

if you ever visited this story, pls do leave a review. its so simple. all you have to do is click the review button. there 508 of you who have seen my story and yet only 5 or 7 had the kind heart to tell me their ideas. again i am simply asking you kind-heartedly to send me a review. do you know that most of my reviewers would say "thank you" others simply would say "yey" and you have no idea how much happiness that brought me. i know who you guys are. hehehe...


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